Vibratory tuning and regulating device



0d. 2, 1934. J ASHDOWN 1,975,308

VIBRATORY TUNING AND REGULATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1931 llllllllll IINVEHT'OR I! mesm- JASPER Hsnoowrr TTORHEY I Patented Oct. 2, 1934PATENT OFFICE VIBRATORY TUNING AND. REGULATING DEVICE Albert JasperAshdown, Westminster, London, England Application September 3, 1931,Serial No. 560,986 In Great Britain September 5, 1930 1' Claim.

This invention comprises a vibratory tuning and regulating devicecapable of use for a number of purposes such for example as thecontinuous vibration or operation of a tuning fork or the I like for thepurpose of producing a sustained noise or musical note which may beprolonged over any suitable period and also for regulating orsynchronizing the speed of moving objects or mechanisms or forregulating clockwork or other mechanism.

Broadly a speed regulating or tuning device according to my presentinvention comprises a vibratory body having a predetermined periodicityof vibration and being free to be vibrated by successive impulses, meansfor producing said impulses being operated in synchronization with saidperiodicity and being controllably connected to a prime mover, wherebyany tendency of a divergence from a synchronized relation of said meansand said body is utilized to control the speed of the prime mover or tomaintain the desired sequence of impulses to produce a sustained musicalnote or noise.

According to this invention a tuning fork, reed or other vibratorymember is employed in combination with a pawl, stop, detent or the likeso that it may regulate or control the motion of a toothed wheel orsurface combined with suitable mechanism so as to act as a regulator orcontroller for the mechanism and/or to receive impulses from themechanism so as to maintain the tuning fork, reed or the like incontinuous vibration so as to maintain a sustained noise or musicalnote.

In carrying out my invention as applied to the actuation of a tuningfork, reed or the like I may employ a tuning fork of any convenient sizeor period suitably mounted or supported so that it may be vibratedfreely to produce the desired musical note or sound. At the free end ofthe tuning fork or reed is arranged a pawl or projection adapted toengage with a toothed wheel which may be rotated at a convenient speedby any suitable mechanism such for example as an electric motor,clockwork, spring motor or the like. The electric, spring or other motoris driven at or above a speed which will rotate or tend to rotate thetoothed wheel so that the passage of its teeth and spaces past the pawlor projection on the tuning fork or reed will or can be made tocorrespond with the vibratory period of the tuning fork or reed. Thetuning fork or reed will thus be kept in vibration continuously by themovement imparted to it by the rotation of the toothed wheel, and at thesame time these vibrations will act to regulate and control the speed atwhich the toothed wheel rotates. For this purpose the pawl or projectionis arranged to engage withthe teeth of the wheel in the manner of anescapement so as to regulate the speed thereof. This can only becorrectly effected when the toothed wheel rotates or tends to rotate ator above a speed corresponding with the vibratory period of the tuningfork or reed. There will thus be a mutual interaction between thetoothed wheel and the pawl or projection on the tuning fork or reedwhereby the vibratory movement of the tuning fork or reed is maintainedand the speed of rotation of the toothed wheel is controlled andregulated.

In order that my invention may be clearly 7 0 understood and readilycarried into effect I have appended hereto a sheet of drawingsillustrating embodiments thereof, and wherein,

Figs. 1 and 2 are broken side elevation and plan views respectivelyshowing a suitable arrangement of mechanism for producing a sustainedmusical note from a tuning fork or for using a tuning fork as agoverner.

Fig. 3 is a view showing how a vibratory body, shown for example as atuning fork can be utilized to govern a gramaphone motor or otherclockwork gear required to be governed.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing my invention applied to thegoverning of an electrical prime mover.

Referring to the drawing the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 shows atuning fork 1 the limbs of which are free to be vibrated to produce amusical note, the vibration preferably being effected by forming on onelimb near its free extremity a on lateral thin steel or other suitableprojection 2 which engages with the teeth of a toothed wheel 3 thevibrations imparted to the fork being such that for a predeterminedspeed of rotation of the toothed wheel 3 the projection 2 engagesregularly between successive teeth of the said toothed wheel. By thismeans the tuning fork will be maintained continuously vibrating, thetoothed wheel 3 being rotated from any suitable prime mover, for examplea clockwork motor 4 as shown which can be wound when required by aspindle 5.

As the periodicity of the vibrations of the tuning fork is constant itwill be appreciated that there will be a mutual interaction between thevibrations of the tuning fork and the rotation of the toothed Wheel 3,which will result in a combined governor effect of the motor 4. andprotracted note of the tuning fork 1 either or both of which results canbe usefully applied to appropriate purposes. For example the tuning fork1 in Fig. 3 has its lateral projection 2 engaged with a toothed wheel 6driven at a predetermined speed by suitable gearing '7 from a gramaphonemotor 8 so that a constant speed of the gramaphone motor is maintained.Alternatively as shown in Fig. 4 the lateral projection 2 of the tuningfork l engages a toothed wheel 9 driven at a predetermined speed from agear accommodated in a housing 10, this gear being in mechanical controlwith an electric motor 11, so that should the motor 11 vary itspredetermined speed the consequent momentary drag or resistance of theprojection 2 on the gear Wheel 9 will apply through suitable reductiongearing in the housing 10 the appropriate load to counteract anytendency of the motor to vary its proper speed.

The relative positions of the projection 2 and the toothed wheel 3, 6 or9 can be finely adjusted by any suitable means. For example the shank 12of the fork can be adjustably supported in a steel or other suitableresilient arm 13 fixed at one end 14 and bent or flexed to move the forkslightly by a set screw 15 threaded through the bar 13 and engaged witha frame member 16 or other suitable abutment. The fork shank 12 can beaxially adjusted in the bar 13 and secured in selected position by locknuts 17.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the invention may beconveniently employed for the purpose of regulating clocks and clockworkor other mechanisms and for synchronizing the speeds of any number ofunits of electrical or other machinery. In this connection it is a wellknown fact that tuning forks of any particular pitch or note have adefinite vibratory period and by employing any number of similar tuningforks in connection with separate installations or ma-- chines, anynumber of such installations or machines may be controlled to operate atsubstan- 'tially identical speeds and may accordingly be synchronizedwith great accuracy since the interaction between the moving part andthe tuning fork or reed maintains the latter in vibration.

The invention is also applicable for governing the production ofcontinuous sound or musical notes by mechanical means.

I claim:

A device for regulating speed of a prime mover comprising a constantperiod tuning fork, a toothed wheel driven from' the prime mover, aprojection on said tuning fork engaging the periphery of said toothedwheel so that the fork is vibrated by its engagement with said wheel,the relative speed of said wheel and the vibratory periodicity of thefork being such that there is -a mutual interaction between them, thesaid pro jection being directed substantially radially against thetoothed periphery of the wheel so that said projection is engaged in thesuccessive spaces between the teeth of the Wheel during rotation of thewheel.

ALBERT JASPER ASHDOWN.

